Category: Italian

'They get turned on by these games' – Pundit explains why Tottenham Hotspur will thrive

12 December 2017
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1 minute read 12/12/2017 | 09:23pm

Tottenham Hotspur were handed the toughest group in the early stages of the Champions League, and they were unlucky once again in the last-16 draw.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men will have to beat Juventus across two legs in order to reach the quarter-finals of the competition.

Aside from Chelsea, who were drawn against Barcelona, Spurs’ Premier League rivals were handed relatively decent ties.

Liverpool will face Porto, Manchester United have to get past Sevilla, and Manchester City will go head to head with Basel.

Tottenham may have been unfortunate in the last-16 draw, but they have proven that they can cut it on the elite stage.

Pochettino’s men had to contend with reigning champions Real Madrid, as well as Borussia Dortmund, but they managed to top the group.

Spurs earned a draw and victory in contests against the Spanish giants, and former midfielder Jamie Redknapp thinks that the team can overcome Juve as well.

For the Daily Mail, the pundit wrote:

“Tottenham get turned on by these huge games. They have excelled at Wembley against Liverpool and Real Madrid — teams who have gone at them. It will be a fascinating tactical contest between Mauricio Pochettino and Massimiliano Allegri. The second leg at Wembley will be a great game.”

Tottenham Hotspur fans had a recent lull in the Premier League by failing to win four games on the trot.

Even though the club bounced back with a 5-1 triumph over Stoke City at the weekend, the team’s chances of winning the title are slim given that they are 18 points behind leaders Manchester City.

The domestic campaign might not be going to plan, but Mauricio Pochettino’s men have been thriving in Europe.

Against the odds, Spurs topped their Champions League group ahead of holders Real Madrid, while Borussia Dortmund failed to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Tottenham were unbeaten in the group stage despite the fierce opposition, but they have no time to rest.

Today, the North London outfit were drawn against two-time champions Juventus, who made it to the final in the 2014-15 season but were beaten by Barcelona.

Spurs have never faced the Italian giants in a competitive outing, but they managed a 2-0 win during a pre-season friendly in August.

With Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United getting favourable draws in the form of Porto, Basel and Sevilla, Tottenham fans would be forgiven for feeling slightly hard-done by.

Judging by the response on Twitter, though, the supporters are cautiously optimistic.

Bring it on. With the squad we have now, that are hungry & play for each other, we should fear no one 👌🏻 #COYS #TogetherTHFC

— Clare (@chilly_spurs) December 11, 2017

Bring it on, we want to play and beat the very best, great chance for us to prove ourselves on the world greatest stage! #COYS

— #Broken matt rutland (@geekparagon) December 11, 2017

Bring it on pic.twitter.com/yeL3DCAfY9

— يوسف 🌻 (@Uoccf) December 11, 2017

Play to our best form and every chance. Bring it on! #coys

— Ian Michael Watson (@iwatson51) December 11, 2017

Playing the better teams suits us. Buzzing to get Juve.

— Chris (@Chris11Moore) December 11, 2017

Bring it on! Can’t wait!

— Rhi Rhi (@rhirhilester) December 11, 2017

Bring it on! We’ve beat Madrid no reason we can’t beat them #COYS

— Ali McEwan (@aldobagins) December 11, 2017

Good tie, certainly winnable.

— Chris Davies (@LCD_Boxing) December 11, 2017

Manchester United pick £35m alternative to Danny Rose

10 December 2017
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2 minute read 10/12/2017 | 02:45pm

Manchester United have made Juventus left-back Alex Sandro their top priority for the January transfer window, instead of Tottenham Hotspur’s Danny Rose, according to The Independent.

What’s the word?

With Luke Shaw failing to set the world alight under manager Jose Mourinho, reports have been rife that the club will dip into the market for a new left-sided player.

Widespread reports have named Rose as United’s top target, but The Independent claim that the difficulty of dealing with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is making the Red Devils feel uneasy.

It is believed that the businessman’s reluctance to strike a deal with United over Eric Dier in the summer is making the North-West outfit rethink their transfer targets.

According to The Independent, there have been indications made to the Premier League giants that a deal for Juventus left-back Sandro could be done.

Chelsea have also been linked with a swoop for the 26-year-old, who has been playing for the Serie A outfit since 2015.

Sandro or Rose?

The Brazilian is used to playing at an elite club that is hunting down silverware having won two Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia’s with Juve.

The left-footed player has also reached a Champions League final with the club, which suggests that he would not feel daunted by meeting expectations at United.

Rose’s advantage is that he is fully aware of the demands that comes with playing in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old is well-versed in English football, but he has had limited game time this season due to injury.

Rose has played in just six games in all competitions, while Sandro has featured 16 times in all for Juventus.

United will want their new signing to hit the ground running midway through the season, and if Tottenham are going to make life difficult for the Red Devils, then Sandro may be the better option.

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According to Corriere dello Sport, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is preparing a January swoop for unsettled Inter Milan attacker Joao Mario.

What’s the story?

Mario only joined Inter from Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2016, but the midfielder is already believed to be unsettled at the San Siro.

The 24-year-old, who is valued at £27m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has registered five assists in Serie A this season, but has only started four times in Italy’s top flight, which is believed to have led to discontent.

According to Corriere dello Sport, United boss Mourinho is a keen admirer of his fellow Portuguese, and is prepared to offer Juan Mata in exchange next month.

Mata will be out of contract at Old Trafford next summer, and the Spaniard’s future is far from certain as he struggles to hold down a regular spot in Mourinho’s first XI.

The same report, however, claims that Inter would prefer to sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan in any potential swap deal that could occur when the winter window opens for business.

Would Mario be a good signing for United?

Whilst Mourinho has previously been keen to have specialist players in certain positions, the United boss has become a fan of versatile operators over the last couple of seasons.

Indeed, Ashley Young is one of the United manager’s most trusted players, and the Englishman is able to operate in a number of different positions.

The same can be said for Mario, who is capable of playing as one of the wide men in a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 formation, in addition to being able to operate in a central position.

United were strongly linked with Mario’s teammate Ivan Perisic during the summer, but it does appear that deal is dead in the water due to Inter’s unwillingness to sell.

Mario, who is a 31-time Portugal international, is only 24 years of age, and could well turn out to be a very smart addition for the Red Devils at the start of 2018.

If you’re going to put together a coupon this weekend, wait until you’ve seen the brace of bets we propose in the latest Football FanCast Accy Show! First up, we’re backing a treble of London Premier League clubs for outright wins—on a slip that benefits from LeoVegas Enhanced Odds. For the more cavalier, we’ve put together a pretty enticing fourfold from the EFL. Check it out and let us know what you’re backing this weekend!

Man United told they must pay a world-record fee to land Serie A star

08 December 2017
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3 minute read 8/12/2017 | 11:33am

According to reports in The Express, Manchester United have joined Premier League rivals Chelsea in the race to sign £61m-rated Juventus left-back Alex Sandro, who would cost a world-record £61m fee for a defender.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Express says that the left-back position has been a problem ever since Jose Mourinho took the reins at Old Trafford in the summer of 2016, and he remains unconvinced by Luke Shaw despite the 22-year-old’s promising display in the Champions League during the week.

The likes of Matteo Darmian, Ashley Young and Daley Blind have all filled in there this season, but the Portuguese manager has favoured a system that incorporates wing-backs in more recent times and he wants to bring in a new specialist player there in order to try and keep the pace with arch-rivals Manchester City.

The Express says that United have been alerted by the fact that Sandro is keen to leave Juve after a summer move to Chelsea failed to materialise, but they may have to pay a world-record fee for a defender to get him with the Serie A giants said to be asking for £61m.

How has Sandro done this season?

He has done well.

The Brazil international played every minute of their Champions League group campaign – picking up an assist in the 2-0 win against Olympiacos on Tuesday – but he has been less of a regular in Serie A.

The 26-year-old has been an unused substitute on five occasions, including the 1-0 win against Napoli last Friday.

However, the left-sided player has still scored one goal and provided a further three assists in nine Italian top flight outings, and the fact that WhoScored.com says his strengths include his aerial ability, his concentration and his tackling will certainly have impressed Mourinho from a defensive point of view.

Would he be a good signing for United?

He certainly would be.

The 26-year-old has experience of playing at the very highest level for Juventus and Brazil, and he is the perfect wing-back as he has shown that he can be effective at both ends of the pitch.

Whether Mourinho and the Red Devils will be willing to spend more than £60m on a left wing-back remains to be seen though, with Tottenham Hostpur’s Danny Rose potentially available for a smaller fee if Spurs are willing to let him leave.

If you’re going to put together a coupon this weekend, wait until you’ve seen the brace of bets we propose in the latest Football FanCast Accy Show! First up, we’re backing a treble of London Premier League clubs for outright wins—on a slip that benefits from LeoVegas Enhanced Odds. For the more cavalier, we’ve put together a pretty enticing fourfold from the EFL. Check it out and let us know what you’re backing this weekend!